Measuring roll release



Oct. 19, 19 4 E. K. BAUER ET AL MEASURING ROLL RELEASE Filed June 21. 1950 INVENTOR-S. ERNEST K. BAUER WILLIAM E. JAMES BY wgh fi ATTOR EY- Patented Oct. 19, 1954 MEASURING ROLL RELEASE Ernest K. Bauer and William E. J amcs, Meadville, Pa, assignors to American Viscose Corporation, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application June 21, 1950, Serial No. 169,476

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a machine for winding yarn and the like upon a relatively large mandrel, such as a warp beam. More particularly the invention relates to means for releasing a measuring roll when employed in conjunction with a winding machine such as a beamer.

While the present invention is applicable to the winding of any type yarn, such as cotton, wool, silk, rayon, cellulose acetate, nylon, and the like, or to winding of fabrics, paper, sheet material, films such as cellophane, cellulose ethers and esters, and the like, etc., for simplicity the same will be described as it is applicable to the winding of rayon on a warp beam.

In the known and presently used beamers, the yarn normally passes over a measuring roll to the beam. The measuring roll is permanently connected with the pressure roll, which rests against the windings on the beam, and with a speed control tachometer by means of a series of sprockets and chains.

When a beam is started, an operator takes the yarn over the measuring roll and wraps it around the empty beam barrel. In so doing, the pressure roll must be moved away from the surface of the beam in order that the operators hands can reach between the beam and pressure roll. It is also necessary to remove the pressure roll from the beam surface since at the start of a winding there is insufficient yarn on the beam and contact between the pressure roll and beam results in a damaged pressure roll surface. Further when reeling in, there is great danger that the hand of the operator might be pressed between the beam and the pressure roll if the latter is in contact with the beam since the individual threads are placed around the beam by hand.

While the beamer is in operation the pressure roll, by resting against the yarn on the beam, is driven to a large extent by frictional contact at this point, while the yarn going over the measuring roll assists in the driving of the same and in addition, by means of the sprocket and chain mechanism, the pressure roll. Consequently, during the reeling-in process and at other times when the pressure roll is removed from the surface of the beam, the yarn, by moving over the measuring roll only, is subjected to the strain of driving the entire chain mechanism, including the pressure roll and tachometer, with the result that severe damage and breakage occurs in the yarn during this process.

It is a general object of the present invention to overcome the aforementioned difiiculties and provide a means for eliminating the strain on a 2 yarn or like material during the winding of the same.

It is another and specific object of the invention to provide a means for releasing the measuring roll from the driving or chain mechanism automatically whenever the pressure roll is removed from the surface of the windings.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an electrically actuated clutch-releasing means on a measuring roll employed in a winding mechanism.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be obvious from the description thereof hereinafter.

In connection with the following description, in order that the same may be more thoroughly understood, reference should be made to the accompanying drawing, which is merely intended to be illustrative and not limitative and in which,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the present invention as the same is employed in connection with a beamer,

Figure 2 is a front elevation view, partly in section, showing the releasing means mounted on a measuring roll, and

Figure 3 is a view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

The objects of the present invention are in general accomplished by mounting a clutch on the shaft carrying the measuring roll. The clutch is so arranged and connected to the core of a solenoid that it will be disengaged when the solenoid is energized. The solenoid is in turn actuated when the pressure roll is removed a certain distance from the surface of the windings of the material on the beam or the like roll. When the clutch is disengaged the measuring roll is free to idle.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown diagrammatically a beamer. The yarn 3, coming from a comb or reed 4, passes over a measuring roll 5 and then on to a beam 6. The beam is mounted on shaft 1 and driven by a motor 8 by means of a chain 9 connected between sprocket IE) on shaft 7 and sprocket I I on the motor 8.

Resting against the windings on beam 6 is a pressure roll 12 mounted on shaft l3 which is in turn mounted on arms or supports l4. The arms M are pivotally mounted on shaft [5. Mounted on shaft I3 is a sprocket l6 and on shaft IS a sprocket I1, the sprockets being connected by chain l8.

Positioned below the beam 6 is a shaft IS on which is mounted a sprocket 20 which is connected by means of chain 2| to a sprocket on shaft l5. Also mounted on shaft I9 is a sprocket 22 which is connected by means of chain 23 to sprocket 24 mounted on shaft 25 which carries the measuring roll 5. A tachometer 25 is connected to a sprocket on shaft 19 by means of chain 21. Thus by means of the chain mechanism just described the yarn and pressure roll both cooperate to drive the measuring roll 5 and the tachometer 26. A speed regulating device, of known and conventional structure, may be employed in conjunction with the tachometer to regulate the speed of motor 8 as the yarn builds up on the beam.

While any suitable means may be employed for rotating the pressure roll about shaft I5, such as by hand, or mechanical means, and the like, the illustrative embodiment shown comprises a sector gear extending outwardly from arm or link 4 and forming an integral part thereof. In conjunction with the sector gear is a pinion |0| fastened to a fixed transverse shaft 32. Attached to the machine frame by means of bearing-like pieces I03 and |04 is a rotatable shaft I attached to the lower end of which is a bevel gear I05 enmeshed with bevel gear |01 fixed on shaft I02. At the other end of shaft I05 is a hand wheel I08. When the hand wheel is rotated in a clockwise direction, sector gear I00 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction thus removing pressure roll l2 away from the surface of the beam, due to the action of bevel gears I05 and I01. If desired, the shaft I05 may be rotated by means of a motor or the like, instead of manually.

When the pressure roll is removed from the surface of the beam to the dotted line position |2A, such as when starting the machine or rethreading the same, the arm l4 comes in contact with and closes limit switch 28 which in turn energizes solenoid 29. Switch 28 is connected to solenoid 29 by conductor 30 and to the knife switch 3| by conductor 32. Knife switch 3| is connected to solenoid 29 by conductor 33. When the beamer is in operation the switch 31 is closed contacting conductors 34 and 35 leading to a suitable power source 36a.

When the solenoid 29 is energized, by arm |4 closing switch 28, the clutch mechanism on shaft 25 (hereinafter described) is actuated and disengaged thus allowing the measuring roll 5 to idle. Thus the strain on yarn 3 is relieved and it will not have to drive the chain mechanism without the help of pressure roll l2. When the pressure roll is moved back toward beam 6, the switch 28 automatically opens and solenoid 23 is deenergized again engaging the clutch.

In order to understand the clutch mechanism, reference should be had to Figures 2 and 3. The sprocket 24 mounted on shaft 25 and freely rotatable about the same, is keyed to a clutch friction plate 36 which is also freely rotatable about shaft 25. Collars 31 and 38 are fixed to shaft 25 adjacent the sprocket 24 and friction plate 35 respectively in order to hold the same in position on the shaft. The shaft 25 is mounted on machine frame 39 in bearing 40.

The other movable friction member 4| of the clutch is slidably mounted on shaft 25 by means of pins 42 and 43 extending into the slot 44 in shaft 25. Thus in effect the friction member 4| is keyed to shaft 25 and will rotate the measuring roll 5 when it is rotated.

As shown in Figure 2, the solenoid 20 is energized and thus the clutch is disengaged by reason of friction plates 36 and 4| being separated. Thus measuring roll 5 is free to idle. When the solenoid is energized the metal core 45 is moved downward, as shown, which in turn moves lever 43 downward, the same being connected at one end thereof to the metal core 45 by means of link 41. The other end of lever 45 is keyed or rigidly attached to a short shaft 48 mounted in a bearing or lever bracket 49 extending inwardly of the machine from the wall 39 thereof.

Also keyed or rigidly attached to shaft 48 is a yoke 50 extending upwardly therefrom and encircling the clutch friction plate member 4|. At the upper ends of yoke 50 are two rotatably mounted rollers 5| and 52 (see Figure 3) which ride in the groove 53 in the member 4|.

When lever 46 is pulled downward due to the energization of solenoid 29, shaft 48 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 2, and consequently yoke 50 is likewise rotated. By reason of the rollers 5| and 52 riding in the groove 53, and since member 4| is slidably mounted on shaft 25, the same is moved to the left, as viewed in Figure 2, out of contact with the friction plate member 36 when shaft 48 is rotated due to the energization of solenoid 29.

When the solenoid 29 is deenergized the friction members 4! and 36 are held tightly together by reason of tension spring 54 which is connected between pin 55, extending outwardly from machine frame 39, and pin 56, extending outwardly from lever 46.

While the linkage may be so arranged that the friction plate member can be moved any desired distance, it is only necessary that the same be moved approximately 4 inch. This distance is suitably regulated by passing a bolt 51 through a threaded housing 58 extending outwardly from lever 43 and so adjusted as to engage stop 59, extending out from machine frame 39, when the member 4| has moved the desired distance. By means of bolt 51, the distance member 4| moves is adjustable.

When the member 4| is disengaged from member 36, it is free to rotate with shaft 25 since rollers 5| and 52 on yoke 50 will ride in groove 53 and not hinder rotation.

It is to be understood that while the embodiment of the present invention shown and described herein has been one employing a friction cone clutch, any other type clutch, which could be operated in the manner herein indicated, may be employed. Further, the present invention is easily adaptable to other types of winders or beamers.

By means of the present invention when starting a winding or rethreading a machine the material being wound has only to revolve the measuring roll, which is free to idle, and hence the danger of damaging the yarn, or other material being wound, is alleviated. Numerous other advantages of the present invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

It is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for winding comprising a rotatable element for receiving a winding thereabout, a rotatable pressure roll adjacent said element, a rotatable measuring roll preceding the element along the path of travel of the material being wound, positive driving means interconnecting the measuring roll and pressure roll for synchronized rotation, releasing means on the measuring roll for releasing the same from said positive driving means, and means responsive to movement of the pressure roll away from the element for actuating the releasing means.

2. An apparatus for winding comprising a rotatable element for receiving a winding thereabout, a rotatable pressure roll adjacent said element, a rotatable measuring roll preceding the element along the path of travel of the material being wound, a tachometer, positive driving means interconnecting the measuring roll, pressure roll and tachometer for synchronized rotation, releasing means on the measuring roll for releasing the same from said positive driving means, and means responsive to movement of the pressure roll away from the element for actuating the releasing means.

3. 'An apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the releasing means comprises a clutch.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein the means for actuating the releasing means comprises a solenoid.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 377,413 Smith Feb. 7, 1888 904,463 Taylor Nov. 17, 1908 1,890,197 Sussmuth Dec. 6, 1932 1,985,394 Anderson Dec. 25, 1934 2,371,620 Hartung Mar. 20, 1945 2,384,474 Lambach Sept. 11, 1945 2,384,879 Bodansky et a1 Sept. 18, 1945 2,398,232 Lambach Apr. 9, 1946 2,546,141 Bauer Mar. 27, 1951 

